A Huntington Beach duo found themselves behind bars after a brazen heist involving stolen state benefit information at Spectrum Target. According to the Irvine Police Department's Facebook page, Christopher David Szabo, 52, and Cheryl Daveen Wipf, 57, used the pilfered details to score over $3,000 worth of baby formula. The caper took place on the evening of December 27, as the suspects clandestinely programmed the victim's information onto their own cards.
The confidence trick appears to be part of a larger pattern of crime, "We believe the couple used similar techniques to make purchases at other stores," the police disclosed. In addition to the baby formula swindle, the duo are facing a raft of charges including burglary, forgery, organized retail theft, and narcotics charges. The spree was halted when the pair were arrested and booked at Orange County Jail.
Szabo, who carried the weight of outstanding arrest warrants, received an unexpected service courtesy of the local law enforcement. "Since we are a full-service department, we also helped Szabo handle his outstanding arrest warrants," the Irvine Police slyly noted. The arrest of these suspects has shone a light on the continuing problem of organized retail theft.
